New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1887-11-27
BALL PLAYERS SALARIES
BECOMING TOO BIG FOR SAFETY.

PROSPECTS OF THE GAME.
People at all familiar with baseball Will acHho~'
sdge that the popular and exhsrating outdoor sport,
,ybich few years ago only served to amusc tho Small
boy, but the boys parents ~ "ch' nus
fully kept race with the times. Tho sport In It's pop
ular development has rot lost caste with inc small
bow simply because the old boy also follows IL so care
fully Since baseball put on its professional garments
II has become a rcmuncrative business to tho man.
ayers and club The Payers are also we'll
cared for In a financial sense. Ten years ago there
were few players who did not receive the larger part
Of their income from trade other outside bus
ness occupation. Now the salaries OF tho players
., lavshly proportional that the men no longer
compelled TO do aught except play baseball as we'll as
they know how, and obey their managers and the pc
collar laws which govern the game. The player must
sep himself In good physical condition and abstain
lrOm intoxicating beverages. The rest IS easy lis
SEXUAL work each day Is crammcd into two hours His
% @ % SS Sna Ss eH SH ho
~. the ever present politician The life Of the average
player h Th
poses as slave and martyr but the truth be tod he
does not get much public sympathy. Why should he
lie is better off than ninetents of the rest of working
mankind
During the recent baseball conventions the moncyed
nen of the game gave much attention to the selection
Of umpres, the recognition of secret orders the
Of dividing gate receipts and changing the playing
rules. They did not arbitrate upon the salary CUES
ton, and that is point they must meet at some
future date 1t can be handled with more safety now,
than year or TWO hence. We do not wish to imply
that the players of today paid larger salaries than
they are entitled to, but If the steady increase is
maintained, in a few years the salaries Will cat up all
tie receipts, and the club owners will get little for
their liberal outlay of money. Players salaries
FULLY kept pace with the game, but If the is kept
up little longer the salaries will soon distance tho
game. The League and American Association clubs,
owing TO their liberal patronage. can afford TO pay
largely and not much more, however. than they are
paying at present. some of the smaller or minor
league clubs are paving salaries out of all propoi'n
10 their gate receipts. The smaller clubs must stop
or become bankrupt There is no other alternative
year or two the managers decided upon i. 900
limit. IlayeS were not to be paid more than that
sum. The rule has never been repealed. neither has
Il ever been enforced The MANAGERS might be wise
5000 the limit and stick to it.
There IS healthy interest taken in baseball ovec
~ big Bridge. Toward the close of the season, Just
last, there were many dissatisfied followers OF the
.smc in brooklyn. just many in proportion to the
of the city there were in Ncw-Yor the
NAL failure of the Giants. The managers of the
the river have shown determination to
ln strong club in the field, matter what the cost.
and If they do not become fanthearted but stick to
their original intention. the public will appreciate and
reward them when the mmcrtime a good
club will keep the busy and line the club
owners pockets with shining Shekcls. Last years
club, reinforced by the Metropolitan players,
two new men, and the great pitcher and catcher,
Caruhcrs and BuShong, ought TO he hard TO beat Be
fore the winter IS over the thrice bcltcd champions
from 81. Louis will have lost many of their best
aid in consequence the Brooklyn club will have bet
FER chance to capture the pcnnant than it had
before Every move the managers make will be close
j. watched If they will stick their original intcn-
ton. of giving Brooklyn Grst-class club. they will
make barrel of money winning club in this part
club can be.
Matters quiet in tho haliwck of the fallen
Giants. Several new players have bcen signed. but
with exception, none of the old players have i'm
,fpdf 10 he ma Of Ncv
York club yet. OF the new players signed Foster.
slaterry and Crane the most highly spoken Of
Foster and Saterry have made wonderful records in
ba minor league clubs. but that poor criterion Of
they Will do in the National League. Crane IS
said 10 be tcrIlfcay swift pitcher. but a thor
oreh master of the and change of pace The
Ncw-York club was forced to pay large salaries for
after them. 1t IS sincerely hoped that they Will 10
ale TO keep in The front ranks Of he Leacno fight
They may impart little life and snap 10 the New
York club, quality that IS badly needed
The Nassau Athletic Club, of Brooklyn, promises to
put excellent amateur team in the field
and make a strong fight for the champion,
Ship Of this neiChbOrhOof II will be purely amateur
with the possible exception Of its catching department.
Several players Of the old Broolyn Athletic Club have
Joined the NaSsaus and they will lend some strength
Gaguirc. Tagliabue. Ford and McNaughton arc the
hen who seeded from the old brooklyn club Al
and ShortStOp 4 semi professional catcher may bc
secured and also an amateur catcher. Brown VIII be
the pitcher and promises to make good record next
season.
The critics are pretty unanimous in thr opinion that
The American Association have gained rcnown and A
siderable march upon their League rivals the
,pirc question. The Association has undoubtedly
fe best equipped umpire staff. in Ferguson, Gain"y,
Doescher and McQuade, ever arranged The penny
wise policy Of the League alone allowed all of these
rpen to go to the Association The League directors
do the game service and freeze the smile upon
their rivals faces the time, If they wan, to.
There many good I'M prcS left. enough 10 select
eight good men from That would male two umiirs
to game. In other words. let Tho League adopt nc
double umpire system and it will pui large public
feather in It's cap The system has been tried with
The only drawback IS the expense. but the League can
afford to d.Scorgc few more dollars for a competent
umpire system
Manager James Mutrie. Of the New York club was
sen yesterday His face red and his respiration
&C plous said he "They still counting those
football tickets mp at the Polo Grounds. They had
counted up to $1,000 when left and they stll at
u suppose. That was biz crowd on Thursday ana
spcndldy behaved one. We had eighty policemen
or foot distributed around in circle 10 Keep me
crowd bark and We had ten more on horseback 1hry
e'Ft me moving 50 lively that have nor g"' my
:ns Governor boo,black II took me over an hour
clear the field after Yale had won the victory
a. see that the Western papers say that smith ana
I-rry of tho Brooklyn club VIII play IN 81 Louis
x season. was said to c. ii. Byrnc, the energetic
president Of the Brooklyn club yesterday nat
folsbncss said he. {" Why, might well sell
out and go into other business If we let those
two players go. Both are great players and unusual
~ popular Smith Will not be released under any
Consideration and neither Will Terry. We expect 10
have good club In Bi0ohiy, Dut mus nay ',,'1 1
two make up the nlnc.7 Terry Is the ohiy
player who has been on the team since 1t was organ
lied. lilo Is young and steadily improves cach season
Smith Is without a ShOrtstOp in IN" A>sOcld
ton and many people think that he IS Just a. eOOd
shortstop GlasscOck
FNOCH arden WITH A DIFFERENCE